An Evanston man will spend four to six years in prison after admitting his role in the 2023 overdose death of 26-year-old Sierra Curley, who died the day after buying what prosecutors describe as a fentanyl-related compound. Curley had just completed a 30-day drug treatment program, and prosecutors say her fatal relapse began when she contacted a dealer as she walked away from rehab.
According to Local 12, Malik Mabrey pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced Monday to a four- to six-year prison term. Under the plea deal, prosecutors dropped charges of drug trafficking and corrupting another with drugs. Local 12 reports that prosecutors alleged Mabrey sold Curley a fentanyl-related compound and arranged to meet her at a gas station to complete the sale. She died the next day.
Prosecutor's account
Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said the sale happened on Aug. 3, 2023, the same day Curley left a 30-day treatment program, and that Mabrey told her which bus to take and how to meet him at a gas station, according to WCPO. Pillich told WCPO, "Malik Mabrey was given the chance to turn his life around. Instead, he exploited a young woman at her most vulnerable."
Prosecutors push overdose accountability
Hoodline first covered the case when it reported that the Evanston man had been indicted in the overdose death last July, noting the involuntary manslaughter charge and related counts. The case fits into a broader pattern in Hamilton County and beyond, where prosecutors are increasingly seeking to hold dealers criminally accountable when fentanyl-linked sales end in death.
Sentence and plea deal
Mabrey's guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter is what ultimately brought the four- to six-year sentence, per Local 12. As part of the agreement, prosecutors dropped the trafficking and corrupting-another-with-drugs charges, leaving the manslaughter conviction as the basis for his prison term.
Help and context
Overdose deaths tied to fentanyl remain a public-health crisis, and access to treatment is a central piece of the response. For treatment referrals and support, SAMHSA's national helpline is available at SAMHSA's National Helpline or by calling 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
